intranet review toolkit

Toolkit produced by Step Two Designs (www.steptwo.com.au)

Supported through an IA Institute Progress Grant (www.iainstitute.org)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.5/)

Intranet review toolkit

{Insert organisation / intranet name}Review conducted by: {insert your name}

Date of intranet review: {insert date}

Version of intranet review toolkit: 1.1 (March 2006)

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Intranet review toolkit: version 1.1 (March 2006)

About the intranet review toolkit

This intranet review toolkit provides intranet managers and designers with an easy-to-use method to assess the strengths and weaknesses of their intranet. It contains a substantial set of heuristics (guidelines or criteria), allowing a detailed intranet review to be conducted that focuses on a wide range of functionality, design and strategy.

The heuristics are based on identified best practices in intranet and website design, providing a sound basis for the review. Additional references are included as an appendix to this document.

When to conduct a review

The intranet review toolkit can be used at many stages of a project:

Before a redesign

A review can be conducted at the beginning of a redesign project. At this time, it will help to identify key problems that should be further examined during staff research and other redesign activities.

During a redesign

A review can be conducted while the design or redesign project is underway. It can act as a reminder about the most important aspects of the intranet design and allows issues to be rectified at an early stage.

On part of the intranet

Reviews do not need to be conducted against the entire intranet. Most of the heuristics apply equally as well to a section or smaller part of the intranet.

What are heuristics?

Heuristics are simple, efficient rules of thumb that can be used to make assessments. They are based on best practice and experience, and are easy to apply to many situations.

The heuristics used in the intranet review toolkit are based on core principles of information seeking behaviour, human-computer interaction and experiences drawn from training, research and design activities for corporate intranets. The heuristics are not an exhaustive list of all potential intranet issues, but are extensive enough to allow the identification of issues that have the largest impact on intranet usefulness and usability.

Each heuristic in the intranet review toolkit is necessarily quite broad. In assessing an intranet against them, the reviewer will need to make some judgements, including whether the heuristic is relevant for their situation. Some heuristics may not apply to every intranet, and some intranets may not meet all heuristics but still be useful and usable for staff.

About Step Two Designs

Step Two Designs (www.steptwo.com.au), the creator of this toolkit, are a vendor-neutral consultancy based in Sydney, Australia. They provide specialist consulting in the areas of intranets, content management, knowledge management, usability and information architecture.

Step Two Designs has published many articles on the topics of intranet design and management, and on related usability and information architecture techniques.

They have also published the Intranet Roadmap™, the Content Management Requirements Toolkit, and Staff Directories report.

Published by Step Two Designs (www.steptwo.com.au), released under Creative Commons, some rights reserved.

http://www.steptwo.com.au/


Using this toolkit

The intranet review toolkit provides a template that can be used to guide a review and as a report on the review. Each heuristic has a detailed rationale, and space is provided for your comments and a score.

If you are closely involved with the intranet, as a designer or a manager, it may be difficult to conduct an unbiased assessment. It may be valuable to have someone else conduct the review, as an independent reviewer can more easily assess the intranet from the perspective of staff.

It can also be useful to conduct the review with multiple reviewers, such as intranet team members, key authors or other stakeholders. This will allow more issues to be identified and highlight the key issues. After each person conducts their review, a post-review meeting is a great way to discuss findings and determine what to follow up.

Preparing for the review

Before starting the review, become familiar with key pages of the intranet such as the home page, major section pages, most frequently used content, search facility, phone directory and news sections;

Walk through the most frequent tasks that staff carry out via the intranet. For example, you may need to:

look up a phone number

submit an expense report

book travel

find out a policy and procedure for a common task

This will help you better understand how well the intranet works in practice, when completing common business activities.

Note that it is not necessary to visit every page on the intranet. This is impractical on a large intranet, and even on a modest-sized intranet, it is sufficient to review enough pages to give an overall assessment of the intranet.

The overall goal of the intranet review is to identify key strengths and weaknesses of the intranet as a whole, rather than to identify specific pages which are poorly designed or non-compliant with appropriate standards.

Conducting the review

It is expected that the intranet review toolkit will be completed electronically, in the Word version. This allows the figures to be automatically calculated, as well as making it easy to fill in the notes section beside each heuristic.

If you have a printed copy (or other version), you can obtain the latest electronic version from the Intranet Review Toolkit website (www.IntranetReviewToolkit.org).

Start by filling in the name of the intranet on the titlepage of this document, along with the name of the person conducting the review and the date of the review.

After gaining a good overview of the intranet, work through each section of the template, assessing the intranet against each heuristic. For some heuristics, you may need to attempt additional tasks or check a number of pages.


http://www.IntranetReviewToolkit.org/


Make notes against each point as you work through them (write these in the “Your Notes” column), then fill in the “Your score” column of the template. Note that the areas to be filled in by the reviewer are marked in yellow.

Once your figures have been entered, use Ctrl-A, F9 to then make the intranet review toolkit calculate a total for each category, as well as a percentage score. Note that no overall percentage score is provided for the intranet as a whole, as it is only meaningful to assess the site against each individual category.

Once the main Intranet Review Toolkit document has been completed, the summary version (provided in Excel) can be filled in. This provides an at-a-glance summary suitable for providing to others, and it can be downloaded from the Intranet Review Toolkit website (www.IntranetReviewToolkit.org).

Scoring system

For each heuristic, provide a score from 0-5. This provides an at-a-glance indication of the strengths and weaknesses of each element of the intranet. An overview of the scoring system is as follows:

0: Extremely poor, non-compliant with guidelines, or not implemented

1: Very poor, likely to cause significant problems for staff

2: Poor, likely to cause problems for staff

3: Good, but some aspects may cause problems for staff

4: Very good, staff should be able to use this feature easily

5: Excellent, very capable, delivers considerable benefits, meets (or exceeds) all of the criteria outlined

Note: in the rationale, details have only been provided for scores of 0 and 5. This has been done to provide a balance of sufficient detail, without making this document either too proscriptive or unwieldy to easily use in practice.

The reviewer must therefore evaluate each aspect of the intranet against these two extremes, and assess what the most suitable score is.

For example, a heuristic that meets almost all of the criteria, but misses out some small elements, should be given a high score (such as 3 or 4). Conversely, an element that provides some very limited capabilities that are better than nothing should be given a low score (such as 1 or 2).

Where capabilities are not provided at all by the intranet, a score of 0 should be given. For example, if there is no search on the intranet, all of the heuristics in section 3 should be given a zero score.

Using the commentary

The Intranet Review Toolkit website (www.IntranetReviewToolkit.org) provides a commentary on a growing number of the heuristics. This gives more information and supporting details on the heuristics, as well as linking to relevant articles and resources.

Use the commentary when you are unclear about the reasoning behind the heuristics, or when you need clarifying information. The commentary can also be used to obtain supporting articles for intranet stakeholders, or to gain suggestions on how to implement best-practice solutions in each of the areas.





Using the results

The results of the intranet review may be used in a number of ways, depending on the stage of the project:

Identifying opportunities for incremental improvement

The intranet review will almost certainly identify areas where the design or implementation of the site does not meet best-practice standards. Many of these issues may be comparatively minor, or may be restricted to certain elements of the site. In these cases, incremental improvements can be scheduled for the intranet.

Targeting redesign efforts

The intranet review can be valuable to identify areas which should be addressed as part of a broader and more comprehensive redesign. It will also highlight aspects that are working well, and should be retained.

Building a business case

The review can assist intranet teams in building a business case for an intranet redesign, by providing an independent set of criteria to judge the site by. In some cases, this will highlight the deficiencies of the site, further building an imperative for change.

Benchmarking against other intranets

The scoring of the intranet review facilitates benchmarking against other intranets, particularly with those in the same industry sector. This can give an indication of the comparative maturity of the site, as well as identifying good design elements that can be shared between organisations.

Ensuring balance in intranet efforts

It can be easy for intranet teams to focus very strongly on a few aspects of intranets, to the detriment of other elements required for a successful site. Use of the intranet review toolkit can be beneficial in highlighting overlooked or down-played intranet aspects.

Validating a new design

An intranet review can be conducted as part of the redesign process, to provide a ‘second opinion’ on the designs as they are being developed. In the later stages of a project, they can provide an opportunity to ensure that changes to the site do not introduce new issues.

Other evaluation methods

There are a number of other techniques that can be used to evaluate the design and effectiveness of intranets, beyond conducting a heuristic review (as outlined in this document).

These techniques include:

Usability testing

This involves asking users of the intranet to attempt common tasks, and observing where problems are encountered. This can be used to identify potential usability issues (qualitative testing), or to determine benchmark task times (quantitative testing).

Usability testing can range from informal testing with a small number of users through to formal testing in a usability lab. In either case, this can be a very useful adjunct to this intranet review, and will likely identify a range of specific problems and potential solutions.



Intranet surveys

These are often used to gather feedback from staff from throughout the organisation, and are a very effective way of obtaining staff opinions about the site.

In practice, intranet surveys are less effective at gaining information about the issues and criteria covered by this intranet review toolkit. If a survey is conducted, it should focus primarily on staff satisfaction, rather than design issues.

Information on these techniques can be found on the sites included in the “Further resources” section at the back of this document.

Creative commons license

The intranet review toolkit has been released under a Creative Commons license, which allows for the distribution of the document, as long as two conditions are met:

Attribution: we must be recognised as the creator of this work, and appropriately attributed when the document is used.

No derivative works: the intranet review toolkit must be distributed as-is, without alteration or addition.

Full details on these rights can be found here:www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.5/

The intranet review toolkit may be used by both intranet teams wishing to review their own site, or consulting firms conducting reviews of client sites.

In either case, the template is designed to be filled in with the specific results of the review, and this may then be provided to the stakeholders or interested parties.

Note that the titlepage must not be modified, beyond filling in the indicated gaps, and the publishing information must be retained. The intranet review toolkit may not be rebranded or republished in any form.

Providing feedback

The intranet review toolkit is a living document that is refined based on increasing experience, and the feedback of the organisations that have used it in practice.

While efforts have been made to gain a good balance between sufficient detail in the heuristics, and a manageable size for the toolkit as a whole, this will need to be further refined. It is also recognised that the industry-wide definitions of what constitutes a “great” intranet are also evolving over time.

For all these reasons, we strongly encourage you to send in any feedback or comments you may have on this toolkit. We will then use this input to further refine and improve the toolkit and supporting methodology.

Please send your feedback via email to:[email protected]

New versions of the toolkit will then be published on the Intranet Review Toolkit website (www.IntranetReviewToolkit.org).



mailto:[email protected]

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Intranet review template

The core of the intranet review toolkit is a template to use when conducting the review. The template is divided into eight sections, each of which is briefly summarised below.

1. Intranet home page

The intranet home page provides the main ‘gateway’ to information on the site, as well as providing a home for key intranet functionality such as news and search. The home page is also the most valuable ‘real estate’ on the intranet, and should be carefully designed to maximise the value gained.

2. Site structure and navigation

The fundamental purpose of an intranet is to provide staff with the information and tools they need to do their jobs. As the intranet grows, the challenge is to ensure that information can be easily and quickly found. The intranet must therefore be carefully structured, with effective navigation to all information.

3. Search

Many staff rely on search to find information on the intranet, in addition to browsing through the site’s navigation. Effort must be put into delivering a search solution that offers meaningful and relevant results, and is quick and easy to use.

4. Page layout and visual design

The intranet should have a clear visual ‘identity’, and a consistent page layout that assists staff to find and understand information. This includes the overall page designs, and the structuring of information on the page, and the site’s look-and-feel.

5. Intranet content

Content on the intranet must be useful, accurate and up-to-date. It should also be easily understood by staff, and written in a way that reflects the online medium. Issues such as accessibility for disabled staff should also be addressed.

6. News

A key role of most intranets is to provide an effective communications channel that will reach most (or all) staff throughout the organisation. This includes publishing corporate (and local) news on the site, which needs to provide useful, timely and relevant content.

7. Staff directory

The intranet staff directory (phone directory) is a key tool in almost every organisation, and should be designed to provide required information while being easy to use and navigate.



8. Intranet-based applications

Beyond being just a publishing platform, the intranet must play a key role as a ‘business tool’ within the organisation. This involves delivering a range of web-based forms, applications and other tools via the intranet. These must be designed and delivered in a consistent way, to provide a seamless ‘user experience’ for staff.

9. Intranet strategy and management (optional)

More broadly than the design of the intranet, there must be a clear strategy for the site, to ensure that it meets broader staff (and organisational) needs. Appropriate resources must also be allocated to the management of the site, along with clearly-defined policies and processes.

Note: this can only be assessed by the intranet team, or through discussions with the intranet team (and other key stakeholders). This cannot be evaluated based on a visual examination of the site, and is therefore marked as optional.



1. Intranet home page

SCORING AT A GLANCE: 0 = extremely poor, not implemented • 1 = very poor • 2 = poor • 3 = good • 4 = very good • 5 = excellent, exceeds criteria

Heuristic Rationale Your notes Your score

1.1 The intranet has a single page that staff can easily identify as the home page

If staff cannot distinguish the intranet home page from other pages on the site it can impact on their understanding of the breadth of content offered by the site, and their ability to navigate to content.

The intranet may also compete with other platforms and sites that also offer a gateway to corporate resources, introducing considerable confusion for staff.

0: There are a number of pages that could easily be mistaken for the intranet home page. Alternatively, staff may be presented with a number of systems competing to provide the main ‘home page’.

5: The intranet home page is clearly distinguished from all other pages on the site. There is a clear distinction between the intranet home page and other corporate systems.




1.2 The home page clearly presents the corporate image and ‘brand identity’ for the intranet

The intranet home page should represent the corporate image and communicate the key organisational values. The intranet itself should also have a clear ‘identity’ of its own, to allow it to be easily distinguished from the public website and other information sources.

0: Neither the corporate image, nor intranet identity is established on the home page.

5: The corporate image and intranet identity clearly established on the home page. The intranet identity is clearly distinguished from the corporate image, but is in keeping with the corporate brand.

1.3 The homepage is professional and attractive in appearance

The home page should present a professional and attractive image that is in keeping with current expectations of modern web design. This is necessary to build staff trust and confidence in the intranet, which is influenced by their emotional response to the intranet design and presentation.

The appearance of the home page is also a usability issue, to ensure that staff can easily understand what is being presented.

0: The home page has a very unattractive appearance. The page is cluttered, or uses dated techniques such as animated images, scrolling banners, etc.

5: The home page is professional and attractive in design, matching good design practices on the broader web.




1.4 The home page enables staff to quickly and confidently access the information they require

The home page should highlight the breadth of content available on the intranet so staff can quickly and confidently find the content they require.

Content from all top-level categories should be included on the home page. This helps staff understand what content to expect in each section of the intranet and can speed up task completion.

For example, within the HR section, key links could be displayed such as “leave form”, “online pay slip” and “employment conditions”.

0: The home page does not display content from all sections of the site. Navigation to intranet content is not clear or well-designed.

5: Key content from each section of the site is surfaced on the home page and presented in the context of the area of the site in which it appears. Navigation to intranet content is clear and usable.




1.5 The home page contains useful content

The intranet homepage is valuable ‘real estate’ and should provide content that is of value to staff, beyond just providing access other information.

Content and features that staff use most often should be easily available from the intranet home page. They may be represented as links on the home page or as interactive features, such as a staff directory search.

It is important that only the key features are included on the home page, and that the inclusion of those selected can be justified.

0: The home page features no useful content, or is so cluttered that staff find it difficult to find the specific information they require.

5: The home page features the most commonly accessed content on the intranet, with a clear design and structure.

1.6 Scrolling is minimised on the home page

Staff are less likely to scroll on the home page compared to other pages. They may miss content or features that are not shown above-the-fold (i.e. the visible areas of the screen).

0: Key information is not visible on the home page or requires scrolling on the organisational standard screen resolution. Alternatively, too large an amount of content is presented on the home page, filling many page-lengths.

5: All key information is visible on the home page without scrolling.




1.7 Page weight of the home page has been kept to minimum

The home page is likely to be the most commonly accessed page on the site. As a gateway to the site, the page weight (size in kb) should be kept to a minimum to enable all staff to quickly and easily get to the content they require irrespective of the quality of their intranet connection.

Note that specific sizes in kb have not been specified, as the acceptable page weight is dependent on the typical access speeds available to staff throughout the organisations. An assessment should be made against the slowest available speeds, such as those staff located in remote or regional locations.

0: The home page typically takes 10 or more seconds to load on a standard connection.

5: The home page consistently loads in less than 3 seconds on a standard connection.




1.8 The home page is scalable to enable new features and content areas to be manageably added to the site

The design and structure of the intranet home page should be flexible enough to allow new features and content areas to be added in a manageable way. Additional items should not require substantial design effort or reliance on including new content in ‘quick links’ dropdown menus.

For example, it should be possible to add a new section of the site without having to substantially rework the overall design of the home page. There should also be a mechanism for adding highlighted or featured elements to the page within the standard page layout.

0: Featuring new content requires a substantial redesign of the home page, or it is only possible to feature new content in ‘quick links’ dropdown menus.

5: New features and content can be highlighted on the home page without design effort or compromising commonly used content.

Total 0

Intranet home page (percentage score) 0%

NOTE: Use Ctrl-A, F9 to make these figures automatically update



2. Site structure and navigation



2.1 Content on a single subject is grouped together

It is important that staff can find all of the information they need to complete a task. To do this effectively all information on a particular topic should be located within the same section of the intranet.

If information is not located in the same section, there must be links to content in related sections or staff will have to visit many sections to find required details.

0: Related content (such as travel policies and travel booking applications) is not grouped together and there are no related links to enable staff to quickly and easily move to related content.

5: Content is grouped by subject and related links are provided to enable staff to move to appropriate content in other areas of the site.




2.2 The labels used in the navigation are clear, consistent and useful

Labels used in the navigation are a key factor in whether staff can locate information on the intranet. The labels need to provide a clear indication of the content that is available within each section of the intranet.

Labels should be:

Understandable by staff

Consistent within the site

Descriptive of where the user is going next

The broader principle is that the labels should provide a strong ‘information scent’, thereby providing staff with many clues about which navigation item to select when seeking a particular piece of information.

0: Navigation labels are ambiguous, use organisational jargon, are used inconsistently, or do not provide a clear indication of the content that is being linked to.

5: Navigation labels clearly differentiate each area of the site and are understandable by all staff.




2.3 Critical content is located high in the structure of the site

The most frequently used information should be surfaced high in the structure of the site, either on the intranet home page or top-level section pages. This ensures that critical information can be easily found and quickly accessed.

0: Critical content is not consistently located high in the hierarchy of the site and commonly used information is 4 or more clicks from the home page.

5: Staff can quickly and easily navigate to critical or commonly-used content. Key information is located high in the structure of the site, or is linked to from the home page or top-level section pages.

2.4 More than one navigation method is provided to find information

Staff should be able to navigate to content using more than one navigation method. Alternates to the main navigation include:

A-Z indexes

Site maps

Search

0: There are no alternative navigation methods on the site.

5: There are multiple ways in which staff can navigate to content. Each is highly effective and easy to use.




2.5 Navigation clearly identifies where pages reside within the intranet

Staff may directly access pages within the intranet, rather than navigating from the home page. Use of cross-linking will also direct staff to other areas of the site.

Users should therefore be provided with a clear indication of where they are currently located within the overall structure of the intranet. This allows them to navigate to more general information, or to find related content.

0: There is no clear indication where pages reside within the hierarchy of the site.

5: The location of the current page within the hierarchy of the site is clearly indicated. This can be achieved through techniques such as highlighting navigation elements or ‘breadcrumb trails’.




2.6 Global navigation appears consistently throughout the intranet

Global navigation should be consistently presented throughout the intranet. This allows staff to quickly jump between major sections, or to access key functionality from anywhere in the site.

The global navigation should also provide a consistent (and obvious) way for staff to jump directly back to the main home page of the intranet.

The only exception to this is the home page of the site. It is not necessary for the global navigation to appear consistently on the home page as this can reduce the space available to introduce the content categories.

0: There is no global navigation, or there are major inconsistencies in the global navigation throughout the site.

5: Global navigation is consistent throughout the site, and it includes a clear link to the home page and to major sections of the intranet. Key functionality (such as search or feedback) is also included as part of the global navigation.




2.7 Related information is linked together

The intranet should provide extensive cross-linking between related content, to allow staff to easily find required information, even as the size and scope of the intranet increases. As much as possible, there should be no ‘dead-end’ pages (which do not provide links to further information or supporting details).

This is particularly important where intranet content is maintained by many authors, as this creates the danger that information will be presented in distinct ‘silos’, making it hard to find complete information on any given subject.

(This can be evaluated by attempting to complete typical tasks, or finding common information on the intranet.)

0: There are many ‘dead-end’ pages on the site, with no indication of related content.

5: Links to related content are consistently incorporated into the design of the page, and there is extensive cross-linking between content. Where relevant, external links are also included.




2.8 The structure and navigation supports continued growth of the intranet

Intranets undergo continuous growth and improvement, including adding new top-level sections to the site. The design of page elements and navigation should easily allow new sections or pages to be added to the site, without reducing the effectiveness of overall navigation on the site.

The navigation should therefore be ‘scalable’, to ensure that growth can be managed without requiring regular wholesale redesigns of the site or navigation.

0: Adding a new area of content would require a complete redesign of the navigation.

5: The intranet structure and navigation are scalable and will allow for additional content areas to be added to the site. This includes adding new top-level sections of the site, as well as individual pages.




2.9 There are no broken links on the intranet

Broken links cause frustration and result in a loss of trust in the intranet. They are the most obvious symptom of content authoring and maintenance problems, and should be avoided in all cases.

This heuristic can be easily assessed through the use of a standard link-checking tool, and there are a number of free or commercial products available on the web. Content management systems (CMS) also typically provide extensive link management functionality.

0: There are a large number of broken links on the site. Alternatively, prominent links (such as top-level sections) are broken. There are also a large number of broken links to external sites.

5: There are no broken links on the site, either to internal or external locations. All links are validated on a regular basis.

Total 0

Site structure and navigation (percentage score) 0%



3. Search

NOTE: if there is no search on the intranet, enter a score of ‘0’ against all heuristics.



3.1 Search is consistently available from all intranet pages

Staff typically use search when they are unable to use the site’s navigation to easily find required content. Search may be used from any location on the intranet, and search should therefore be available on all pages.

Search should be located consistently on intranet pages so staff can easily identify and locate it when needed.

0: Site search is not available throughout the site.

5: Site search is available on every page of the site and it is consistently positioned.

3.2 The default is a simple search

Staff rarely require a complex or ‘advanced’ search. Search should default to a simple search (a single search box with a ‘search’ or ‘find’ button).

0: The site does not have a simple search, or the default is a complex or ‘advanced’ search.

5: A simple search is available on every page of the site and the text box is long enough to encourage users to enter more than one search word. All other options have been removed, or placed on an ‘advanced’ search page.




3.3 There is one search that covers the entire intranet

Staff expect that search will cover the entire intranet. The default search should not be set to search only within a single section of the site, nor should there be multiple competing search engines that search particular areas, or overlap in their coverage.

The only exception to this is where there is a distinct information repository, such as a phone directory, which should have its own search tool. In this situation, this restricted search should be clearly marked, so as to be clearly distinct from the intranet-wide search.

The intranet search should also cover all relevant documents that are linked to from the intranet, including the full text of the files.

0: There is no single search that covers the entire site, or the default is to search only some sections of the site. Alternatively, there may be multiple search engines that cover different areas of the site, or compete in their coverage.

5: There is a single search across the entire site, including documents (where relevant). This search also seamlessly searches other technology platforms, where these would be considered by staff to be part of the ‘intranet’.




3.4 Search handles common misspellings and uses synonyms

Staff will make typing and spelling mistakes. The search should be case insensitive and search on common misspellings.

A ‘synonyms list’ should also be established to ensure that equivalent terms are handled in the same way. For example, searching on ‘bike’ and ‘bicycle’ should return the same results.

0: Searches are case sensitive and common typing or spelling mistakes return no results.

5: The search handles common typing and spelling mistakes, is not case sensitive and handles synonyms.

3.5 Search results are useful and relevant

A fundamental criteria for search is that useful and relevant results are found for common searches. Pages and documents returned should be obviously related to the search being conducted.

This can be assessed by conducting searches on typical terms (such as ‘leave form’) and evaluating the relevance and usefulness of the pages that are returned.

0: Search returns irrelevant or useless results that have no obvious association with the terms entered.

5: Highly relevant and useful pages are found for all common searches, and there is a clear relation between the pages returned and the search terms. In almost all cases, desired information can be quickly found using the search.




3.6 Search results are prioritised with the most important being shown first

The most relevant or most useful information is presented in the top few results of the search. This can be assessed by entering popular searches and inspecting the results against the known content of the intranet.

Metadata and tuning of the search engine ‘weightings’ and other configuration options can be used to improve the quality and relevance of search results.

Beyond this, search engine ‘best bets’ can be implemented to guarantee that key information is presented first for common searches. This is a very effective way of ensuring the relevance of results, even as the intranet grows in size.

0: Irrelevant or less-useful results are presented at the top of the search results page. There is no clear ordering according to relevance, or results are ranked according to some other less-useful criteria (such as alphabetical order of titles).

5: Search results are highly relevant and useful pages are presented within the first few results. Search engine ‘best bets’ have been implemented to ensure that key information is presented first for common searches.




3.7 Appropriate information is shown for each search result

Staff should be presented with enough information to evaluate each search result, but not so much information that the page is cluttered. The key principle is to ensure that search results can be quickly scanned by staff, while presenting key details that allow the desired page to be easily identified.

Each search result should include the following:

Title of the page/document, displayed as a link

Meaningful description (precis)

Relevance as a star rating (1 to 5 stars)

Type of the file (ideally displayed as an icon)

Section of the site the file is located in

Irrelevant information should be avoided as it can distract the user and make it harder to identify the best result. The following should be avoided:

Relevance as a percentage

URL

Size of the file

‘Find similar documents' or equivalent

0: Search results are cluttered and confusing, and contain irrelevant information. It is hard to quickly scan the results page, and difficult to identify the desired page or document.

5: Search results contain just the key information staff require to quickly identify the required page or document. The results are cleanly presented, and are easy to visually scan.




3.8 The overall search results page is well designed, and contains appropriate elements and functionality

The search results page should be cleanly designed and attractive, without being cluttered with irrelevant information or functionality. Complex functionality should be avoided on the standard search results page, and instead moved to a separate ‘advanced’ search.

The search results page should include the following:

Listing of the search terms used

Number of matching documents

Mechanism for browsing through the search results pages

Field for entering a new search

Numbered list of search ‘hits’

The following should be avoided:

Time to run search query

‘Search within results’ option

Other advanced search options

‘Hide summaries’ or other options to control how the results are displayed

Option to change the number of results displayed on each page

0: Search results page is cluttered and poorly designed. Irrelevant or complex information or functionality is included on the page.

5: The search results page is well designed and attractive. Key (and commonly-used) functionality is provided on the page, while irrelevant items have been removed to avoid clutter or unnecessary complexity.




3.9 Tailored search tools are provided for specialist users

While the standard ‘simple search meets the needs of general intranet users, more powerful search options may need to be provided for any groups of specialist users.

Tailored search solutions should be developed for each group of specialist users, offering customised search and results pages, as well as additional functionality where required.

Examples of specialist search users include: lawyers needing to find past Court rulings, engineers working with a large collection of maintenance manuals, technical support staff needing to quickly resolve customer issues.

0: There is a single search interface provided for all staff, with no tailored solutions delivered for specialist search users.

5: Specialist search solutions have been developed to meet the unique needs of individual groups of users.

Total 0

Search (percentage score) 0%



4. Page layout and design



4.1 There is a consistent visual appearance across all sections of the intranet

A consistent appearance enables staff to move around the site without unnecessary distraction, as well as reinforcing a strong brand identity. Different sections of the site may be differentiated by subtle design variations.

As staff may be using the intranet frequently, it is important that it has high visual appeal. High visual appeal help to communicate credibility so staff have confidence that the intranet is being well managed.

0: There are significant inconsistencies across different sections of the intranet. The intranet may consist of separate ‘sub sites’ with completely different appearances. Similar elements (such as headings) have an inconsistent appearance across the site.

5: The appearance is completely consistent across the site, with one look-and-feel across the whole intranet.




4.2 The intranet should have a clear and effective brand identity

The brand identity matches and supports the organisational culture.

The visual brand must be appropriate for the organisation. For example, for a large corporation the visual brand should be conservative and professional; for a smaller, innovative organisation it may have more character.

0: The intranet has no clear visual identity or branding.

5: The intranet has a strong visual identity that reflects the organisational culture. This branding reinforces the purpose and value of the intranet, and helps to build trust in the site.

4.3 The visual design of the intranet is clearly distinguished from the public website

There must be a clear distinction between the intranet and the public (external) website of the organisation. This allows staff to identify which information is public, and which is internal (and therefore potentially confidential).

0: There is no distinction between the page layout and design of the intranet and public website.

5: The intranet has a strong brand identity that clearly distinguishes it from the public website.




4.4 There is a clean and effective page layout

The intranet should have a consistent page layout that is attractive and effective, allowing users to easily identify key page elements (such as the title).

Cluttered pages make it hard for staff to scan the page and to identify key information. A consistent layout allows staff to always know where content will be on a page and how to use key page elements.

It should be easy for staff to identify the different zones on the page, and content should be in predictable locations on the page. This includes clearly displaying the page title in an obvious location.

White space should be used appropriately, and should be easy to determine what the most important information is and relationships between items.

0: The page layout is poorly designed, cluttered or unattractive. It is not easy to identify the most important information on the page.

5: The intranet has a consistent page layout that is attractive and cleanly designed. Major page elements (such as the title) are clearly distinguished, and visual elements (such as colour and white space) are effectively used to prioritise key information.




4.5 Page length is appropriate for context

Navigation pages, such as home pages and section pages, should have reduced page length. Ideally all key content should be presented without the need to scroll.

Content pages should be as long as necessary to support uninterrupted reading and enable staff to print content easily.

0: Page length is frequently inappropriate, for example, navigation pages are overly long, or related content is split across many pages.

5: Page length is always appropriate for content.

4.6 Fonts are appropriate and legible

Small font sizes and poor contrast between font and background colour can make text hard to read. People find it easier to read dark text on a light background.

A percentage of staff may be colour-blind, the most common colour-blindness is red-green.

0: Font sizes are small or do not scale properly across browsers or screen sizes. There is poor contrast between font and background colours.

5: Font size is easily readable, and scales correctly to match screen sizes. Staff may be provided with a mechanism to set their desired font size. Text always has good contrast.




4.7 Graphics are used appropriately to support content

Graphics should only be used when they increase the clarity of the information on the intranet. Graphics should not be used as decoration to make the intranet seem more appealing, as this will impact on loading times, particularly for staff on slow connections.

0: Decorative (or other non-functional) graphics are frequently used, and this noticeably impacts on page loading times for staff on slow connections.

5: Graphics are used where they add clarity to the information on the intranet.

4.8 Page weight is appropriate for the connection speed of staff

Page weight should be kept to a minimum, to ensure that the intranet works well for staff using slow connections. Some pages will require a higher weight, such as video content, and these should be clearly labelled.

0: Pages typically take 10 or more seconds to load on a standard connection. Some of the very commonly-used pages (such as the home page or top-level section pages) have a very high page weight.

5: Pages consistently load in less than 3 seconds on a standard connection for staff.




4.9 Page layouts display correctly at all relevant resolutions

The overall page layout for the intranet should display correctly on all computers used by staff, throughout the organisation. In practice, this may involve supporting a range of screen sizes, from lower resolutions (640x480 or 800x600) to higher resolutions (1024x768 or above).

In particular, the intranet should work on machines used by staff in remote locations, or in front-line environments. If appropriate, the intranet should also be usable on any hand-held computers used by staff.

0: The page layout is fixed, and works only on higher-resolution displays. Staff using older machines or those with lower resolution have difficulty using the intranet.

5: The intranet page layout works well on all computers used throughout the organisation, regardless of resolution. The page layout appropriately resizes to match the display resolution used. Where appropriate, the intranet can also be meaningfully used on hand-held computers used by staff.




4.10 Page layouts, design and coding are accessible for impaired and disabled users

The intranet should be accessible for impaired and disabled staff. There are various accessibility guidelines that should be followed, such as:

W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (US)

0: The site is inaccessible for impaired or disabled staff.

5: The site is accessible for impaired and disabled staff and complies with relevant accessibility standards. Pages have been tested with all impaired or disabled users within the organisation, to ensure that the site works well for them in practice.


http://www.section508.gov/

http://www.w3.org/WAI/



4.11 Pages can be printed Staff will need to print some pages of the intranet, and these should print cleanly. This includes removing inappropriate page elements (such as navigation) and ensuring that the text on the page fits on the standard paper width.

Ideally the site should use cascading style sheets (CSS) that optimise the printed version of the page so that irrelevant information is not included on the print-outs. Alternatively, a ‘printed version’ link or button should be provided on all pages.

0: Intranet pages do not print cleanly, with the inappropriate elements (such as navigation) appearing in the printed version. Text is cut-off at the edge of the printed page in some situations.

5: Content pages print cleanly and irrelevant information (such as global navigation) is not included on the print-outs. Staff do not have to take any extra steps or actions to ensure that pages print out correctly.




4.12 Pop-up windows are used appropriately

The use of pop-up windows (where a second browser window is opened when clicking on a link) should be kept to a minimum. Pop-up windows should only be used in situations such as:

When linking to a document (such as a PDF or Word document)

To provide supporting information during a process

When linking to pages outside of the intranet

Pop-up windows should not be used for different sections of the site, or for other internal links within the intranet.

0: The intranet makes frequent (and inappropriate) use of pop-up windows. In particular, pop-up windows are used when linking to other sections of the intranet.

5: There is a clearly-defined (and documented) policy on the use of pop-up windows. This has been applied throughout the intranet, and pop-up windows are only used in situations such as those specified above.

Total 0

Page layout and visual design (percentage score) 0%



5. Intranet content



5.1 Content has been written and presented with an understanding of the online medium

Research shows that people do not read online in the same way as they do printed information. Content pages should:

Support scanning. Online users tend to scan read until they are sure they have found the correct information. To support scanning, content pages should have a clear heading, make frequent use of sub-headings, use bullet lists (where appropriate) and use bold to highlight key information.

Be written in the active voice. The active voice style typically produces sentences that are more concise.

Use the inverted pyramid writing style. Content should be written in the following order: summary, key points, and then details.

Make appropriate use of graphics to draw attention to key information.

0: Content is not written for the online medium. Pages are overly long, hard to read, or difficult to scan. Much of the information has been directly cut-and-pasted from documents without rewriting or restructuring.

5: All content is easy to scan, is written in the active voice, uses the inverted pyramid writing style and makes appropriate use of graphics. Content sourced from documents has been rewritten or restructured.




5.2 The use of jargon or technical terms is appropriate for the audience

Not all staff, especially new employees, will understand jargon, technical terms and acronyms that are used in some (or all) areas of the organisation. This includes jargon used widely within an industry, as well as terms specific to the organisation itself (such as acronyms for projects or business units).

0: Jargon, technical terms and acronyms are used extensively throughout the site, and are not explained when used.

5: The site uses commonly-understood language, and avoids jargon or technical terms wherever possible. When jargon or acronyms are used, these are explained.

5.3 Content is not duplicated

There should be a single, authoritative version of content on the intranet. Even on a large intranet maintained by multiple business areas, there should not be duplicated documents, pages or content.

It is particularly damaging when there are multiple versions of a document or page, updated at different times and containing slightly different information, with no authoritative version.

0: There are many duplicated documents on the intranet, or linked to from the site. In many cases, it is impossible to determine which is the most recent or authoritative version.

5: There are no duplicated documents or pages. Where information is presented in multiple locations on the intranet, the source content is maintained once, in a single location.




5.4 Content is up to date A critical issue for intranets is to ensure that the information presented is accurate and up to date. Out of date information can be confusing for staff and creates mistrust in the currency of all intranet content.

0: A significant proportion of intranet content is out of date or inaccurate.

5: The vast majority of intranet content is up to date, and the currency of content is regularly reviewed.

5.5 The currency of information is clearly indicated

Staff must be able to easily determine whether content on the intranet is up to date. The currency of information should therefore be clearly presented on all pages, so that staff know it can be trusted.

0: There is no ‘last updated date’ or other review date listed on the majority of intranet pages. There is no other indication of when content was last reviewed, when the next review date is for the period for which the content is valid.

5: The currency of all content is clearly displayed for all pages. This includes listing a ‘last updated date’, as well as potentially indicating the period for which the content is valid.




5.6 The content owner is indicated on all pages

Identifying the content owner provides staff with a clear point of contact for follow-up questions and queries. Note that in some situations, it may be useful to distinguish between the author of the page, and the owner of the information itself.

0: Content owners have not been identified for intranet content, and ownership information is not presented on the site.

5: The name of the content owner is published on every page of the intranet. The name is a link to email the content owner, a link to the relevant staff directory page, or a link to a feedback form.

5.7 Content is published in an appropriate format

Key content should be available in HTML format. Secondary information (such as meeting minutes) should be published in the most appropriate format, recognising that it is not practical to convert all documents into HTML format.

0: A significant amount of key site content is not available in HTML format (it is only available in document formats such as PDF, Word or Excel). At worst, the intranet may consistent almost entirely of links to documents, which may be stored on a shared drive.

5: All key content is available in HTML format. There is a clear policy for deciding which format to use when publishing content, and this has been applied consistently throughout the intranet.




5.8 The detail and complexity of information is appropriately layered

Complex content should be appropriately ‘layered’, by presenting an initial summary of the information, before providing more detailed content. This enables staff to easily obtain key details without having to read through long or complex pages. It also allows staff to quickly determine the information is what they require before clicking through to further content.

(Common examples of poorly-layered content are very long and detailed pages on the intranet, without any summaries or at-a-glance information.)

0: Detailed content is not appropriately layered. Summaries are not commonly provided, and staff are often confronted with complex and detailed information.

5: Detailed content is appropriately layers, with summaries written that capture key information. Further, more detailed, information is then available where required.

Total 0

Intranet content (percentage score) 0%



6. News

NOTE: if the intranet is not used to publish internal news at all, enter a score of ‘0’ against all heuristics.



6.1 All organisational news is consolidated in one location

All organisational news should be consolidated in a single news area. This increases the value and effectiveness of the intranet news channel, and ensures that users don’t have to visit many different areas of the site to find out key news items.

0: Organisational news is spread out over different areas of the intranet, and there is no single location that contains all news items.

5: Organisational news is presented in a single location.

6.2 Old news articles are archived

Staff should be provided with an easy mechanism to access old news articles. This is particularly important when the news is used to communicate policy or product changes (or other detailed information that may need to be referenced at a later date).

0: Old new articles are simply removed from the site. There is no archive of old news articles.

5: Old news articles are archived. Staff can browse articles by date or search for specific subject matters.




6.3 News summaries contain appropriate information

News summaries should contain the following:

Date the item was published

Descriptive title for the item

Brief summary of the item

Category the article fits into (such as sales, jobs, etc)

0: News summaries do not contain appropriate information, or are inconsistent in the information that they provide.

5: News summaries contain all the information indicated above. This is presented in a clear and consistent way that can be easily scanned.

6.4 News items consistently link through to full articles

News items should link through to full articles that explain the news story in full. This allows staff to find out more information, beyond that contained in the news item.

0: News items do not consistently link through to full articles or further information.

5: All news items link through to full articles, and this is presented in a clear and consistent way.




6.5 Intranet news is published regularly

Intranet news should be used as a key communication tool within the organisation. Larger organisations should publish news on a daily basis.

0: The organisation does not use the intranet as a key channel for communicating news. Important information is broadcast through other channels and is not published on the intranet.

5: The intranet is used as a key communication tool, and news is published regularly.

6.6 News is relevant and useful

The intranet news should provide information that is relevant, useful and interesting to the majority of staff. In particular, it should provide information that supports the daily activities of staff, beyond just communicating administrative changes or major corporate news.

Intranet news should not just be a mechanism for senior management to communicate to staff.

0: Intranet news only provides a very narrow range of items, typically relating to administrative or corporate changes, or messages from senior management. Intranet news items are not relevant to the daily activities of many staff.

5: Intranet news is relevant and useful for the majority of staff. News items are published that are directly related to the daily activities of staff.




6.7 News has a high profile on the intranet

News should appear on the home page of the intranet and be easily available via the global navigation.

0: News is buried on the intranet, and is not available directly from the home page of the intranet.

5: News summaries are published on the intranet home page, and are prominently featured.

6.8 Where used, external news feeds are seamlessly integrated with internal news

Some intranets incorporate news drawn from external news ‘feeds’. Where this is done, this external news should be seamlessly integrated into the main intranet news section, and not published in a separate area.

This ensures that users are provided with a single news source, regardless of whether the items are sourced internally or externally.

(Note: if the external news feeds are not published on the intranet, enter a score of 0 to indicate that this heuristic is not relevant.)

0: External news feeds are not integrated with the main news area, and are presented in a different location (or multiple locations). A different format, layout and structure is used for externally-sourced news.

5: External news feeds are cleanly integrated into the main intranet news section, with the source of information clearly marked for users. News items have a consistent presentation and structure regardless of their source.

Total 0

News (percentage score) 0%



7. Staff directory

NOTE: the staff directory may also be referred to as the internal ‘phone directory’, ‘phone book’, corporate ‘white pages’ or other similar name. These heuristics are relevant, regardless of the name used. If there is no staff directory on the intranet, give a score of ‘0’ for all heuristics.



7.1 There is a single corporate staff directory

Staff should be provided with a single, consistent, phone directory. Ideally, this should be located on the intranet.

Where staff information is provided via other systems (such as the mail client), this should be completely consistent with the details in the intranet-based staff directory.

0: There are multiple staff directories, provided on different sections of the intranet, or accessed via different systems (such as email). Information obtained from each of these locations or systems is inconsistent or conflicting.

5: There is a single staff directory that is used by all staff. Where staff information is available using other systems, this is entirely consistent with the intranet-based staff directory.




7.2 The staff directory provides core information that staff commonly require

The staff directory should include core information about staff, such as:

Name

Phone number

Staff role

Position within the organisation

0: The staff directory does not provide all of the core information outlined above. Alternatively, inconsistent amounts of information are provided for each staff member.

5: The staff directory provides all of this core information, and other information that could be useful, such as alternate contact details.




7.3 The staff directory provides additional information to support identified business needs

Beyond the core information outlined above, the staff directory can be used to meet a range of business needs. Additional information can be captured such as:

Photo

Staff leave and sick time

Location (including marking the location on a floorplan or map)

CV or resume

Skills or experience

(See the commentary for a more complete list of additional fields which can be provided by staff directories.)

0: The staff directory only provides basic contact details, such as those listed for the previous heuristic.

5: The staff directory has been expanded to include a range of additional information, designed to meet identified business needs or to improve staff productivity.




7.4 The staff directory search results are easy to read and contain key information

The staff directory search results should assist the user in identifying the staff member they are looking for. This includes presenting key contact information (such as the phone number) in search results, to avoid staff having to open up the full profile page for the desired staff member.

0: Only the names of matching staff are included in the search results.

5: Results include the names of matching staff and key information, such as phone number, position and (if relevant) office/department.

7.5 Staff details are consistent and accurate

The staff directory is only useful if it contains accurate and complete details. Only then will staff trust (and use) the staff directory.

0: A large number of staff details are inaccurate or incomplete.

5: Staff details are entirely up to date and complete. The staff directory is directly integrated with key sources of staff details (such as the HR system), and there are defined business processes in place for ensuring that entries are updated in a timely way.




7.6 The staff directory contains details for all staff within the organisation

The staff directory must include entries for all staff within the organisation. Beyond just full-times staff, this should include:

Part-time staff

Contractors

Consultants (where appropriate)

Volunteers (where appropriate)

Procedures should exist to ensure the directory accurately reflects changes such as new and exiting staff.

0: The staff directory is missing entries for many staff, including some full-time staff (such as those located in different offices). Staff who have left the organisation are still listed, while new-starters have not been consistently added.

5: All staff are contained within the staff directory, including part-time staff and contractors. Processes are in place to consistently handle new starters and staff that leave the organisation.




7.7 Staff directory entries can be easily updated

Instructions should be clearly provided on how to update staff directory details. At a minimum, this should provide contact details for who to send changes to.

A more effective approach for maintaining directory details is to provide a 'self-service' facility to enable staff to update their own details. This should have appropriate security in place to ensure that staff can only update their own record, and only selected fields within that record.

0: There is no indication of what should be done if the details are out of date.

5: Staff can update their own details via a secure 'self-service' editing facility. Staff can only update their own record, as well as ensuring that only appropriate fields can be changed.

Total 0

Staff directory (percentage score) 0%



8. Intranet-based applications



8.1 The intranet provides a central point of access to relevant applications

Most organisations have a diverse range of applications, some of which staff may use irregularly. Providing access to applications via the intranet enables staff to locate applications via a single point of access.

0: Links to applications and other business tools are not available via the intranet. There are many other applications accessed via other mechanisms, and potentially competing with the intranet.

5: All relevant business applications are accessible via the intranet and applications are grouped both by type and by topic (such as a link to the travel booking application being available from a travel page).

8.2 Core applications have been made available on the intranet

Most staff are required to regularly complete common tasks, such as filling in timesheets, requesting leave, or providing figures for centralised reporting. The intranet should provide web-based mechanisms for efficiently completing these tasks.

0: Most common business tasks are still completed via manual, paper-based processes that are inefficient, time-consuming and prone to error.

5: The intranet provides efficient web-based mechanisms for completing the majority of common tasks.




8.3 Common forms can be completed online

Beyond just linking to PDF versions of pre-existing forms, the intranet should provide the ability to fill in common forms online. This is a relatively simple way of positioning the intranet as a ‘business tool’, and delivering measurable efficiency benefits.

0: Forms are provided on the intranet as PDF documents which must be downloaded, printed, and filled in by hand. At worst, the intranet may be missing some of the forms used across the organisation.

5: The majority of common forms can be filled in online. This includes both simple forms and those requiring authorisation or more complex form logic.

8.4 Applications are found and accessed in a simple and logical way

As the number of applications accessible on the intranet grows, the challenge is to provide meaningful structure and navigation to help users quickly locate the required system.

This includes ensuring that applications can be accessed from relevant areas of the site, as well as using meaningful links and descriptions.

0: Applications are accessed in an ad-hoc way on the intranet, and links to systems are generally the systems’ names or acronyms (rather than human-friendly descriptions of the functionality provided).

5: Applications are linked to from one or more key locations on the intranet, as well as being accessible from other relevant areas (such as links to the leave system from the leave policy page). Links provide meaningful descriptions of the functionality, rather than system names or acronyms.




8.5 Staff are provided with a single user experience across all internal systems

A single ‘user experience’ should be presented to staff, regardless of the system that provides the information. In practice, this means that there should be a single ‘look and feel’ across the intranet and other internal systems (such as HR systems). This greatly benefits the ease and confidence with which staff use all systems.

Note that this includes all web applications that staff would generally consider to be part of the ‘intranet’, recognising that staff rarely understand the distinction between the intranet, other applications and portal software.

0: There is no visual consistency between the intranet and other internal systems. Each system has a different appearance, navigation and page layout.

5: All internal systems are visually consistent, provide the same navigation and operate in consistent ways. Information and tools are provided in the same way, regardless of the back-end system that is being used.




8.6 Applications and supporting information are tightly integrated

Applications and the supporting information needed to use them should be tightly integrated. This means that staff must be provided with the relevant tools, policies and guidelines in the one location, ideally with the key information provided in a ‘context-specific’ manner within the intranet application.

For example, the leave form should not be located in one section of the intranet, while the leave policies and guidelines are situated elsewhere (and not cross-linked).

0: Applications are provided completely independently of the policies, guidelines and other supporting information needed to use them. There is no cross-linking between applications and related content.

5: Applications and supporting information are tightly integrated, including extensive cross-linking between applications and related content. Where appropriate, key information is provided in a context-sensitive manner within applications.




8.7 There is ‘single sign-on’ across all intranet-based applications

A single user name and password should allow access to all intranet-based applications. Ideally, users are automatically logged into the intranet when working on the corporate network, and then are not further prompted when accessing specific applications.

0: Multiple user names and passwords are required to access each intranet-based applications. Users are prompted when each application is opened.

5: ‘Single sign-on’ is implemented across all intranet-based applications, allowing a single user name and password to be used by staff. Where possible, users are automatically logged into the intranet, and are not further prompted when accessing individual applications.

Total 0

Intranet-based applications (percentage score) 0%



9. Intranet strategy and management (optional)

Note: These heuristics relate to the underlying management of the intranet, rather than to the design or structure of the site. These can only be evaluated by the intranet team themselves, or through discussions with the intranet team (and other key stakeholders). It is not possible to assess these heuristics based on a visual evaluation of the site.

This section is therefore optional, recognising that it may not be practical (or possible) in all situations to gain the necessary information to make an informed evaluation. Wherever possible, however, steps should be taken to review against these criteria.



9.1 There is a clearly defined set of goals for the intranet

A clearly defined set of goals or objectives provides focus for the ongoing evolution of the intranet. These should be business-focused, beyond just “provide staff with the information they need to do their job” or “provide a one-stop shop” for information.

The intranet goals should be published on the intranet itself, and aligned with overall organisational strategies and directions.

0: There are no defined intranet goals.

5: Intranet goals are defined, reviewed on a regular basis and used to inform intranet strategy. The intranet goals are business-focused, are aligned with organisational strategies, and there are metrics or measures defined for each goal.




9.2 There is a clear roadmap for future intranet development

There should be a clear (and documented) roadmap for future development of the intranet, covering the next 6-12 months. This should specify planned improvements to the site, along with ongoing activities to sustain the site.

The roadmap should cover both content and IT related improvements to the site, as well as indicating resources required from other teams (such as corporate communications, HR, and IT).

0: No defined plans have been created for future intranet improvements, and changes are made on an ad-hoc or reactive basis.

5: There is a clearly defined roadmap for intranet development, covering a 6-12 month period. This includes specific enhancements, required resources, and expected benefits.




9.3 The intranet has an clear owner and sponsor

A single owner or manager overseeing the entire intranet ensures consistency, and can resolve conflicts amongst stakeholders. It should also ensure that there is a clear direction and strategy for the intranet.

The intranet owner should have responsibility for key aspects of the intranet (such as the home page and staff directory), as well as ‘driving’ the overall evolution of the intranet.

There should also be a recognised executive ‘sponsor’ for the intranet, providing overall resources, support and guidance. This sponsor also helps to resolve differences or disputes between intranet stakeholders.

0: There is no clear intranet owner or sponsor. Alternatively, there may be multiple areas of the business competing for control of the intranet.

5: The intranet has a single owner that is empowered to resolve all intranet issues and drive intranet strategy. There is also a clear executive sponsor for the site.

9.4 There is a single point of contact for the intranet

There should be a single point of contact for the intranet, thereby simplifying the communication process and ensuring that needed updates are made. Note that this is in addition to the content owners listed on individual pages.

0: There is no single point of contact for the intranet, or no clear mechanism for contacting the centralised intranet team.

5: There is a clear single point of contact for the intranet as a whole. A forms-based feedback mechanism has been established on the intranet to allow changes or errors to be easily notified.




9.5 The intranet team has the necessary skills and resources

The intranet team must be of an appropriate size to manage the intranet, and be equipped with a sufficiently broad range of skills to address all intranet needs and issues. The intranet team must also be provided with enough resources to be effective (including budget, IT tools and support).

The intranet team must be able to address not just day-to-day administration of the site, but to also be able to develop strategies for the intranet, and to enhance the site over time.

(See the commentary for a discussion on the necessary skills and size for intranet teams.)

0: The intranet team is under-sized and under-resourced, and is not able to keep up with day-to-day administration of the site.

5: The intranet team has the skills and resources to strategically manage the site, including enhancing the site with new content and tools. The intranet team is proactive, and is professional in their management of the site.




9.6 There are a comprehensive set of policies and procedures for the intranet

There should be a clearly-defined and comprehensive set of policies and procedures covering the design and management of the intranet. These should cover aspects such as:

Writing standards and other publishing guidelines

Appropriate (and inappropriate) intranet content and tools

Guidelines for inclusion on the intranet home page

Overall intranet governance and management

Staff should be able to access the intranet policies and procedures on the intranet itself.

0: There are no documented intranet policies and procedures.

5: A comprehensive list of intranet policies and procedures is documented and available via the intranet.




9.7 The usage of the intranet is regularly measured

It is important to track the overall usage of the intranet, to allow problems to be identified, and to support ongoing improvements to the site. These usage statistics also allow the relevant importance and value of intranet content to be assessed.

At the simplest level, this should include the tracking of intranet usage, such as total usage, most popular pages, etc. This capability is provided by a wide range of free and commercial ‘web statistics’ packages.

In addition to site statistics, search engine usage reports should also be put in place. Two specific reports should be implemented as a minimum:

Most popular searches. Shows the most popular terms entered into the search engine, on a month-by-month basis.

Failed searches. Lists the searches that returned 0 hits.

0: Intranet usage is not tracked or reported, either in terms of overall site usage or search engine usage.

5: Comprehensive usage statistics have been put in place for the intranet as a whole, as well as allowing individual reports to be generated for specific site sections. The two search engine reports outlined above have also been implemented. Processes have been put in place to regularly review the reports, and to act on the results.




9.8 The impact and business value of the intranet is regularly measured

Beyond the usage statistics outlined in the previous heuristic, more business-focused metrics should be used to allow the business benefits of the intranet to be measured.

These metrics may allow a dollar value to be calculated for the benefits delivered by the intranet (enabling return on investment to be determined). In other cases, it may be more appropriate to demonstrate value in non quantitative ways.

(For example, measures could include the reduction in calls to the help desk, or the improvement in staff productivity.)

0: No business metrics have been determined (or measured) for the intranet.

5: A range of business-focused metrics are used to report on the tangible benefits delivered by the site. Processes have been put in place to regularly collect the metrics, and to act on the results.




9.9 A communications and marketing plan has been established for the intranet

Ongoing communications are required to drive further awareness and usage of the intranet. This includes outlining the purpose and benefits of the intranet, as well as promoting intranet ‘success stories’.

An overall communications and marketing plan should be put in place to ensure that these activities are coordinated and effective.

0: There are few (if any) communications to the wider organisation about the use or benefits of the intranet.

5: A coordinated communications and marketing plan has been established, and is used to ensure that regular messages are sent to staff outlining the use, benefits and successes of the intranet.




9.10 An authoring community has been established for the intranet

A “community of practice” should be established for the intranet that brings together the centralised intranet team with decentralised authors. Meeting regularly (such as monthly), this group as a whole takes responsibility for resolving intranet issues and setting intranet policies.

Experience across many organisations has shown that this type of group is critical to the success of the intranet, and it can do much to resolve the challenges relating to writing and managing content in a decentralised environment.

(See the commentary for more on the role of the authoring community of practice.)

0: Communication is poor between the central intranet team and decentralised authors, with conflict between these two groups on a regular basis.

5: An intranet community of practice has been established and meets regularly. This groups works cohesively to manage and improve the intranet.

Total 0

Intranet strategy and management (percentage score) 0%



Further resources

There are a number of key websites which provide invaluable information regarding the design and management of intranets. In addition to providing background details on the heuristics included in this toolkit, these resources cover broader issues of intranet management and strategy.

Commentary

The Intranet Review Toolkit website (www.IntranetReviewToolkit.org) provides a commentary on many of the heuristics, as well as links to further articles, reports, books and sites. This provides greater information on the guidelines included in this document, as well as best-practice suggestions and approaches.

Useful websites

The Information Architecture Institutewww.iainstitute.org

A non-profit volunteer organisation dedicated to advancing and promoting information architecture. Provides a range of useful resources, mailing lists and industry activities.

Step Two Designswww.steptwo.com.au/papers

Currently the most prolific publishers of intranet articles, covering all aspects of intranet design, strategy and management. Also provides reports and training courses.

Boxes and Arrowswww.boxesandarrows.com

Provides a comprehensive resource on information architecture, including practical guides on common techniques such as card sorting, along with discussions of more advance information architecture principles. Additional articles are published on a regular basis.

Nielsen Norman Group (NN/g)www.useit.com/alertbox/

Publishes reports and articles that specifically address the usability of intranets, which is one of the main elements of an intranet review. Also provides information on fundamental usability principles and techniques.

Useful reports

Intranet Roadmap™www.steptwo.com.au/products/roadmap

Provides an overall methodology for designing or redesigning an intranet, including all the activities required and the techniques that can be used to support each step of the project.


http://www.steptwo.com.au/products/roadmap

http://www.useit.com/alertbox/

http://www.boxesandarrows.com/

http://www.steptwo.com.au/papers

http://www.iainstitute.org/



Improving Intranet Searchwww.steptwo.com.au/products/search

This report provides a practical methodology for improving intranet search, including a wide range of guidelines and approaches that cover every aspect of the search solution. All of the recommendations are designed to be within the reach of every intranet team, and do not require in-depth technical knowledge or unlimited budgets.

Staff Directories reportwww.steptwo.com.au/products/staffdirectories

Provides in-depth information on the design and management of intranet staff directories (also known as phone directories or online phone books). Includes screenshots from a range of sites, along with best-practice guidelines.

Useful books

Don’t Make Me Think (2nd edition)Steve KrugISBN: 0321344758

An excellent introduction to the key principles of usability, providing numerous examples and practical techniques. Highly relevant for the designers and maintainers of any intranet (or website).

Information Architecture for the World Wide Web (2nd edition)Louis Rosenfeld & Peter MorvilleISBN: 0596000359

The definitive book on information architecture, covering all the major elements of the discipline, and the key techniques. Provides numerous examples and case studies.

Information Architecture: Blueprints for the WebChristina WodtkeISBN: 0735712506

A strong introduction to information architecture, providing practical examples, photographs and screenshots. Explores the key techniques for designing effective sites, showing how these fit together in real-world projects.


http://www.steptwo.com.au/products/staffdirectories

http://www.steptwo.com.au/products/search


Acknowledgments

The Intranet Review Toolkit was developed by the team at Step Two Designs:

James Robertson

Iain Barker

Patrick Kennedy

Sarah Owen

With thanks

We would like to thank the following people for their assistance with the development or enhancement of the Intranet Review Toolkit:

Koushik Banerjee

Ernst Décsey

Catherine Grenfell

Timothy Healy

Kim Hunter

Joe Lamantia

Victor Lombardi

Jianzhong Lu

Donna Maurer

Annette McKee

Niamh O'Byrne

Damon Oehlman

Peter Ryder

Fiona Urquhart


intranet review toolkit

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